Resilient floor.



L. V. SOLON.

RESILIENT FLOOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. 1914.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET vii knew:

L. v. SOLON.

RESILIENT FLOOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-12,1914.

1,175,316. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

I w A W a 07M 1 I i gwfi H24. flmmm LEON VICTOR SOLON, OF MALTA'WAN, NEWJERSEY. t

BESILIENT FLOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application filed October 12, 1914. Serial No. 866,334.

which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient floors, especiallydesigned for dancm The object of the invention is to provide a simplyconstructed and yielding floor,

which is especially pleasing when used for.

dancing, effecting great economy of energy for the dancer and increasedpleasure given to the rhythm of the dance by a corresponding motion inthe floor.

Another object is to provide a floor of this character having improvedcushioning means.

Another object is to provide a sectional floor having improved means fortying the sections together.

Another object is to provide a portable floor of this character made insections, which may be laid and removed with a minimum consumption oftime and labor. With these and other objects in view, the inventionconsists of certain novel features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a floorconstructed in accordance .with this invention with parts broken out;Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion thereof with parts brokenout; 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 1 is aplan view of one of the springs and its support; Fig. 5 is a verticalsection taken on line 55 of Fig.

4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one of the sections detached; Fig.7 is a horizontal section takenon line 77 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is aplan view of aportion of a floor showing a slightly difierent form oftheinvention. Y

In the embodiment illustrated a portable resilient or elastic floor isshown,,although it is obvious that it may be permanently installed ifdesired. This floor is composed of a plurality of detachably connectedrectangular sections, 1 which may be" of any desired size, being hereshown about three feet square, more or less. Each section 1 is providedon one of its edges with a tongue or tongues 2 and on another edgeextending at right angles to said first mentioned edge with theirtongues 2', which latter have one of their" outer corners rounded forapurposerto be described. The other edges of each section are providedwith sockets 3 and 3, the sockets of one member or section beingpositioned to receive the tongues of an adjacent section whereby saidsections are interlockingly engaged and held with their upper faces,flush to present a continuous smooth flat floor. The sockets on thesides opposite the tongues are shaped to correspond with the shapes ofsaid tongues and thetongues having rounded corners are designed tofacilitate the assembling of the sections. These sections may either beformed in strips by inserting the angular tongues 3 in theircorrespond-- ing sockets and then the strips connected by slidinglongitudinally relatively to one another with the rounded corners of thetongues 2' facing in the direction of movement of the strips to preventthe tongues.-

from engaging a strip until desired, and

then its curved corners will permit said tongues toreadily slip intotheir sockets.

These sections 1, are mounted on cross. shaped supporting blocks orbases, 4:, here shown cross-shaped having interlocking sockets midwaytheir ends, to dispose. the upper faces of the members thereof, flushwith each other. shaped blocks 4 is extended longer than the others fora purpose to be described' Extending centrally through the socketedportions of the bldck 4 is a borev 5 here shown angularin cross section,and having its lower end enlarged to receive a bolt head to provide foraflat smooth surface-engaging face for said block.

A bolt 6 is passed through the registering bores in the members of theblock 4 with its head seated in the enlarged portion thereof One arm ofthe crossand with its threaded end projecting upwardly above the" upperface of theblock and on which is mounted a flat, arcnate orseml-elllqotical spring 7, having longitudinallyt extendingtongues ateach end, the

tongue 7 at one end being longer than the T other tongue 7" andapertured to receive said bolt 6. The terminal of the shorter of thetongue 7" is curved upwardly to permit .mounted under each section 1,but it is obvious that more may be employed if desired or foundnecessary according to the size the sections are made. These springs 7are preferably each constructed of a fiat resilient metal strip andpositioned with both ends engaging'the base block 4, the free endresting on the long arm of said block, and

the curved intermediate portion thereof the under face of a floorsection. 1.

The cross-shaped supporting blocks 4: are arranged with their arms lyingin planes parallel to the sides of the rectangularfioor sections 1, andwith their long arms in planes at right angles to the long arms of theblocks which support sections contacting with each other, and extendingin difi erent directions as seen in F ig'. 2 of the drawings. By thisarrangement, the floor as a whole is prevented from swaying in any onedirection, and yet is allowed to yield transversely. When pressure isapplied to it, as when a group of dancers are passing over it, thesprings 7 bend' and slide longitudinally away from their secured ends.The frictional engagement of their curved intermediate portions with thefloor sections tend .to make the sections sway in the direction of thislongitudinal movement, but this is counteracted by having the springsextending in different directions.

To hold the floor from movement horizontally in any direction, tieclamps 10 are shown in U-shaped form with one leg engaging a socket inthe outer edge of one sec tion and the other leg engaging a socket inthe outer edge of the adjacent section as is shown clearly in Fig. 2.These iron clamps 10 are employed on the outer or boundary.

edges only of the floors, as is shown clearly in Fig. 2. These clampsmay be made sufliciently thin to adapt them to serve the purpose of tiesand yet be sufficiently elastic to yield lengthwise to avoid interferingwith the elasticity of the floor. It will now be seen that while thefloor is held against movement horizontally, it will elastically yieldto pressure, and this yielding will take 4 place at any given area overits surface, so that each dancer or each couple or group of dancers mayenjoy the benefit in any 10- cality.

The bowed shape of the springs 7 pro vides suflicient elasticity for thefloor without danger of their breaking, and the upwardly curved free endthereof permits said end to slide on its support without embeddingitself therein when pressure is brought to bear on said spring.

In Fig. 8 floor sections 1 are shown of different sizes arranged tobreak joint with each other, the structure being otherwise the same asthat above described.

I claim as my invention:

1 A portable resilient floor comprising cross-shaped supporting blocks,arcuate springs secured to the upper face of said blocks, and anoverlying floor structure yiieldably supported by said spring carryingsupporting blocks, one of said blocks being arranged under each of saidsections.

2. A portable resilient fioor comprising cross-shaped supporting blocks,arcuate springs secured to the upper face of said blocks, an overlyingfloor structure composed of a plurality of separable sections restingyieldably upon said spring carrying supporting blocks, one of saidblocks being arranged under each of said sections with their springsdisposed to one side of the center of said sections, and telescopinginterlooking elements disposed on the adjacent edges of'contiguoussections, whereby when one section is caused to yield downwardly, thecontiguous sections are also caused to yield.

3. A floor structure comprising a, plurality of separable interlockingrectangular sections, each of said sections being supported by resilientsupports composed of crossshaped blocks each having one arm thereoflonger than the others, a bolt extending centrally upward therethrough,anv arcuate spring secured at one end to said bolt, its other endresting on the outer end of said long arm and having its central curvedportion in engagement with the lower face of one of said sections, thearms of said cross shaped blocks lying in planes parallel to the sidesof said rectangular sections, the long arms being arranged in planes atright angles to the long arm of the blocks which support sectionscontactingwith each other, and extending in diflerent directions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit-

